May Occupational Therapy Delay the Need for Surgery in Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal diseases in an adult population, and approximately 68% of people between the ages of 71 and 80 years have radiographic OA in the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint. Currently, there is no cure for hand OA. However, several studies have demonstrated that hand exercises and CMC-orthoses may reduce pain and improve grip strength, and in a recent study, assistive devices improved activity performance and satisfaction with performance in people with hand-OA. Still, most people do not receive any such treatment, but those with severe CMC-OA are often referred for surgery in this joint. The effect of occupational therapy to prevent or delay need for surgery CMC-OA has been investigated in a small study with 33 participants, but randomised controlled trails (RCT) of good quality are needed.